Meeting of the Board of Regents | December 2010

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

TO:	P-12 Education Committee
FROM:	John B. King, Jr.
SUBJECT:	Charter Schools:  Initial Applications and Charters Authorized by the Board of Regents
DATE:	December 2, 2010
AUTHORIZATION(S):

SUMMARY

 

            The Commissioner and Department staff recommend that the Board of Regents issue the initial charters and provisional charters for the following seven Charter Schools:

1. Amani Public Charter School
2. Democracy Prep III Charter School
3. Discovery Charter School
4. Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School
5. Mott Hall Charter School
6. New York City Montessori Charter School
7. Urban Dove Charter School

 

The following tables outline information about each of these proposed charter schools.  Additional information about each of the applications and the review of those applications is included in the attached Summary of Findings and Recommendations for each proposed school (Attachment A) which are also posted on the Regents Web page at: http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/  

 

Name of Proposed Charter School	Amani Public Charter School
Lead Applicant(s)	Stephanie McCaine
Management Company	N/A
Other Partner(s)	N/A
District of Location	Mount Vernon City School District
Proposed Opening Date	Fall 2011
Grade Levels/ Number of Students	Grades 5-8, 320 students

Name of Proposed Charter School	Democracy Prep III
Lead Applicant(s)	Seth Andrews
Management Company	Democracy Prep Public Schools
Other Partner(s)	N/A
District of Location	CSD 5
Proposed Opening Date	Fall 2011
Grade Levels/ Number of Students	Grades 6-8, 312 students

 

Name of Proposed Charter School	Discovery Charter School
Lead Applicant(s)	Daniel Aurelli
Management Company	N/A
Other Partner(s)	Expeditionary Learning Schools
District of Location	East Irondequoit CSD
Proposed Opening Date	Fall 2011
Grade Levels/ Number of Students	Grades K-6, 280 students

 

Name of Proposed Charter School	Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School
Lead Applicant(s)	Evan Kilgore, Geoffrey Roehm
Management Company	N/A
Other Partner(s)	New York City Outward Bound Expeditionary Learning Schools
District of Location	CSD 16
Proposed Opening Date	Fall 2011
Grade Levels/ Number of Students	Grades 6-10, 461 students

 

Name of Proposed Charter School	Mott Hall Charter School
Lead Applicant(s)	Bob Lesser
Management Company	Replications, Inc.
Other Partner(s)	N/A
District of Location	CSD 8, 9
Proposed Opening Date	Fall 2011
Grade Levels/ Number of Students	Grades 6-8, 315 students

 

Name of Proposed Charter School	New York City Montessori Charter School
Lead Applicant(s)	Gina Sardi
Management Company	N/A
Other Partner(s)	South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp (SoBRO)
District of Location	CSD 7
Proposed Opening Date	Fall 2011
Grade Levels/ Number of Students	Grade K-5, 294 students

 

Name of Proposed Charter School	Urban Dove Charter School
Lead Applicant(s)	Jai Nanda
Management Company	N/A
Other Partner(s)	Urban Dove
District of Location	CSD 22
Proposed Opening Date	Fall 2011
Grade Levels/ Number of Students	Ungraded (Ages 16-18), 240 students

 

Background

            Chapter 101 of the Laws of 2010 increased the cap on the number of charters that can be issued in New York State, from 200 to 460.  The statute also designates the Board of Regents and the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY) as the authorizers for the additional 260 charters and requires that the two chartering entities create competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) processes for applications for the additional 260 charters.  The two Boards are required to issue RFPs for new charter applications in cycles on August 1, 2010, January 1, 2011, January 1, 2012 and September 1, 2012.  

      The Board of Regents application and review process is designed to award charters to applicants that demonstrate the greatest probability of creating high quality public schools.  The charter school application process was revised in the summer of 2010 to align with the criteria that is outlined in Chapter 101 of the Laws of 2010.   The Department’s first RFP was issued on August 1, 2010 as required by the statute. 

The application and review process consists of multiple phases in which applicants are invited to advance on the basis of the successful evaluation of each submission.  The steps in the process include:

1. Submission and review of written prospectus to demonstrate clear understanding of the New York State Charter Schools Act and alignment with the priorities stated in law.  Thirty five prospectuses were submitted and reviewed in September 2010.  Sixteen were invited to submit full applications; one applicant group withdrew, citing the need for more time and the intent to apply in the next cycle. 

 

1. Submission and review of written full application to present the design of the proposed school, including instructional model and approach, targeted student population, organizational structure and financial plan.  Fifteen applications were submitted and reviewed.

1. Review of public comment provided through formal public hearings (required to be conducted by the school district of location for the proposed school) and through direct oral and written communication with Associate Commissioner of the Office for Innovative School Models.

 

1. Interviews with founding groups to discuss application details and to evaluate the skill and knowledge of the founding group to launch and operate the proposed school.  Fifteen capacity interviews, each led by Department senior managers, were conducted in October 2010. 

 

1. At the conclusion of the application and review process, seven of the fifteen applications were withdrawn by the applicants

1. Recommendations are made to the Board of Regents by the Commissioner to award new charters to applicant groups with the strongest plan and presentation to launch and operate a highly effective public school.  These recommendations are based on a synthesis of information gathered throughout all stages of the process.

 

            The application for the Lamad Academy Charter High is not being recommended for approval by the Board of Regents because it did not meet the criteria established in §2852(9-a) of the Education Law and/or did not meet some or all of the following essential competencies identified in the RFP process:

1. The applicant demonstrates clear understanding of the New York State Charter Schools Act and what it means to comply with the Act.

 

1. The applicant’s proposed school demonstrates clear alignment with the educational priorities stated in the law.

1. The applicant presents a coherent and practical design for the proposed school.

 

1. The applicant demonstrates the necessary experience, skill and will to manage the challenging and dynamic process of opening and operating a public charter school.

            Additional information about this application and the review of the application is included in the attached Summary of Findings and Recommendations (Attachment B).

Reasons for Recommendation

The proposed charter schools: (1) meet the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) are likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school.

Recommendation

            VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to the Amani Public Charter School for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.

           

 

            VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to the Democracy Prep III Charter School for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.

            VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to the Discovery Charter School for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.

            VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to the Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.

            VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to the Mott Hall Charter School for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.

            VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to the New York City Montessori Charter School for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.

            VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to the Urban Dove Charter School for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.

           

            The Regents action for these charter schools is effective immediately.